Jim Cunningham biography

WQED-FM’s Artistic Director, Jim Cunningham hosts the WQED-FM Morning Show weekday mornings from 6-10 am, and the nationally syndicated Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) broadcasts which air Sundays at 8pm.

Jim hosted his first radio show at age 13 in Warren, PA, and was station manager of the Thiel College station, where he earned degrees in English and Business Administration. He holds a Certificate from CPB’s Executive Management Institute at the University of Wisconsin. He has enjoyed a long career at WQED-FM, beginning as an intern in college, was station manager for many years, and is currently an award-winning Executive Producer and Artistic Director. Jim hosted the Pittsburgh Speakers Series for 10 years, served as Classical Music Critic for Pittsburgh Magazine for 15 years, has presented pre-concert and outreach lectures for the Pittsburgh Symphony for 25 years, and currently teaches Music and Art for lifelong learners at the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. Jim has won multiple Golden Quill awards, the Gabriel Award and been recognized for community service with awards from the Pittsburgh Symphony including the Paul J Ross Award for Excellence in Education and Community Engagement and a 40th anniversary distinguished service award presented by Manfred Honeck and the orchestra members onstage June 7, 2019 following Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as well as awards from Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Pittsburgh Concert Society, Chatham Baroque and many others.

Jim has traveled as a correspondent with the PSO on more than 25 world tours to Europe, Asia, North America, South America, and Australia. During his career at WQED-FM, Jim has interviewed everyone in the classical music world from Itzhak Perlman to Leonard Bernstein, but some of his favorite interviews were with Benny Goodman, Wynton Marsalis, Mercer Ellington, and Fred Rogers.